Freefall
by my crooked heart
Summary: PROMPT FIC. Drabble series focusing on all of our favourite HP characters. #5- Lily doesn't think much of James, but a simple act of kindness to Professor McGonagall may change her mind.
1. Blurring the Lines

**Disclaimer: **all characters, places etc., are the property of J.K. Rowling.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE READ:** So I kinda wanna do a drabble series about the Harry Potter characters. I would be willing to accept prompts on whatever couples/scenarios you choose and they wouldn't have to be romance. What do you guys think? If you like the idea please let me know. This is just an idea of what they would be like, but keep in mind I wrote this at 4.40AM so it's not as good as it could be.

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><p><strong><span>#1 - Blurring the Lines (RemusxSirius)<span>**

"Moony, you're going to wear yourself out."

Sirius leaned against the wall in the Gryffindor common room, his arms crossed and his lips pursed. His eyes were firmly fixed on the boy by the fire, who was surrounded by several open textbooks, an inordinate amount of parchment and three empty inkwells. Remus's eyes were drooping and the hand he held his quill with was red and raw looking from being worked so hard. Still, Remus continued to scribble away at an Arithmancy essay, ignoring Sirius's protests.

"I need to catch up on my homework," Remus said, crossing out a mistake. "My furry little problem makes it difficult to stay ahead in classes, which I need to do if I want to be Head Boy in seventh year."

"You're going to wear yourself out," Sirius repeated, crossing the room and plucking the quill out of Remus's hand. "Please, Remus. Just go to bed."

"Give me my quill, Padfoot," Remus said tiredly.

"No," his friend replied stubbornly. "At this rate you're going to fall asleep in class tomorrow, and then you'll be even further behind. Get some sleep, Remus."

"I have to finish my Arithmancy essay–"

"Bed," Sirius ordered. "Now."

They stared each other down for a few minutes before Remus looked away with a sigh. He couldn't argue with Sirius when he was like this. He gathered his things and followed Sirius to the dormitory, clambering beneath the covers under his friend's watchful eye. It wasn't until Remus was safely tucked in that Sirius climbed into his own bed.

"Goodnight, Moony."

"Goodnight, Padfoot," Remus whispered, though he lay awake for the next hour, worrying about homework and exams. And on a slightly happier note, thinking of Sirius. Remus was thinking about Sirius a lot these days. Imagining what it would be like to cross the line of friendship, into something more.

He had almost drifted to sleep when he thought he heard Sirius sigh his name from across the room.

But he was imagining things. He had to be.

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><p>Hope you liked it, please review and let me know what you think of a drabble series :) Also, leave a prompt if you have one!<p> 


	2. Green Glass Eyes

**Disclaimer: **all characters, places etc., are the property of J.K. Rowling.

**Author's Note:** I've gotten 2 reviews on this so far and 1 prompt, which I consider to be progress :P So this was prompted by an anonymous reviewer named Maris, who wanted to see something about the first time James and Lily met. I tweaked it a little so that it's the first time James saw her, so please R&R, I hope you enjoy it, and if you like this series and want it to continue then **don't forget to leave a prompt.** Honestly, I will do pretty much any pairing or situation (unless it's M rated or incestous, because ew.)

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><p><strong>#2 - Green Glass Eyes (JamesxLily)<strong>

As James Potter followed the line of first years filing into the Great Hall, he took the opportunity to survey his surroundings. He was slightly awed by the grandeur of Hogwarts Castle, even after his own lavish upbringing. He drank in the sight of the four long house tables, the enchanted ceiling, the dark flagstones. The Great Hall was fantastic. He wondered if his house common room would be as impressive – he certainly hoped so.

He looked around impatiently as the Sorting began, not caring where the other students were placed. Few faces registered in his mind – there were a few who stood out, however, like that Sirius Black kid. His entire family had been placed in Slytherin for generations. James had watched disdainfully as Black took the stool and allowed Professor McGonagall to place the Sorting Hat on his head, already brainstorming ways to torment the newest Slytherin – and then the brim of the Hat had opened wide and declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

It had been a shock, to say the least, but James didn't care. He watched as Black took a seat at the Gryffindor table, looking slightly shell-shocked, and then he zoned out again.

"Evans, Lily."

The name was unfamiliar – James had never heard of a wizarding family with the name of "Evans", so that meant that this Lily girl was either a half-blood or a Muggleborn. He looked up interestedly, never having come face to face with an actual _Muggleborn_ before – and then breathed in sharply, entranced by the sight of the girl on the stool.

She had long red hair, the exact colour of the autumn leaves that had covered the Potter's front yard when they had left that morning. Her skin was delicate and as pale as the flower for which she was named. But it wasn't her lily white skin or her fiery hair that caught James's eye – it was her eyes, huge, vibrant emerald eyes which were visible even from a distance. James stared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly, waiting with bated breath to hear what house this beautiful girl would be placed in.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He followed the girl with his eyes as she clambered off the stool and headed for the Gryffindor table, her cheeks blushing a delicate pink. It was then and there that James decided he simply _had_ to be placed in Gryffindor. There was no argument about it.

He waited anxiously for his turn, his chest puffing out a little as McGonagall finally called, "Potter, James."

He sauntered to the front of the room and took a seat on the stool, squirming a little as the Sorting Hat covered his eyes.

"_Hmmm... confident about where you belong, are we?_" the Hat murmured in his ears, prompting James to jump slightly. "_Yes, quite confident, and sure of who you are. You're a bright one, you'd do well in Ravenclaw... but I see you've already decided where your loyalty lies. Alright then, if I must..._"

James closed his eyes.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

James grinned widely and slid off the stool, bounding towards the clapping students at the Gryffindor table. He saw the Black boy looking him up and down with discerning eyes, but he only wanted to see the reaction of the red-haired girl named Lily. She was watching him too, applauding along with the rest of the Gryffindors, smiling politely as he muscled in beside her.

James's grin grew wider. He had a feeling that the next seven years were going to be the best of his life.

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><p>Please <strong>review<strong> and **leave a prompt** if you've got one!


	3. Not So Wise

**Disclaimer: **all characters, places etc., are the property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N:** Prompted by DrinkingAlcoholicRainbows: _"I...sort of want an input to Cho's thoughts on Harry. As much as I don't really like the girl I'm really curious to see what's in the Ravenclaw's head."_ Ooh, I had fun writing this. I don't usually like Cho as a character (maybe because I love Harry and Ginny so much) but it was fun to get inside her head. Hope you like it, DrinkingAlcoholicRainbows! :)

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><p><strong>#3 - Not So Wise (Cho)<strong>

She didn't belong in Ravenclaw.

When she had sat in front of the other students all those years ago, anxiously awaiting to be told where she belonged, Cho had thought that the Sorting Hat would make the right decision. It was a magical artefact, after all – a heavily enchanted object that was trusted to place each and every student at Hogwarts in the house where they belonged. The Sorting Hat had never been wrong before. Why should it be any different with her?

So when the brim of the Hat had opened wide and declared, "RAVENCLAW!" for the whole world to hear, Cho had ignored the fluttering in her stomach and joined the table beneath the blue and bronze hangings, reminding herself that she had to trust the magic. She was just nervous – the Hat knew where she belonged, and in time, she would too.

But as the years dragged on, Cho began to think that maybe the Hat wasn't infallible. She wasn't the dumbest girl around, but was she really smart enough to be a Ravenclaw? And she wasn't ugly, either, but the more time she spent in the Ravenclaw common room, the more she began to notice that her housemates were extraordinarily attractive. Maybe the Hat _had_ been wrong. Maybe she belonged in Hufflepuff.

She'd forced herself to stop thinking that when Cedric had died. He had been a Hufflepuff, and when she considered how things would have turned out if she had been one too, it hurt too much. It raised too many questions – too many "what ifs", the kind of questions that brought tears to Cho's eyes and made a lump rise in her throat. After Cedric, she'd sworn to be smarter, better – wiser, like a true Ravenclaw. She wouldn't let herself fall in love with another boy. Not when she knew how much pain it could bring.

But now she knew that she was seriously lacking in the wisdom department, because she had fallen for none other than Harry Potter. She didn't know what it was – the perpetually messy mop of dark hair, the dark green eyes, the _name_. Yes, she was ashamed to admit, she had considered that she only liked him for his name. The fame – or infamy, now that the _Prophet_ was slandering him and Dumbledore at every chance it got.

Except she didn't think that it was his name. Because surely, if it was, her heart wouldn't start beating faster when his arm brushed hers. And she wouldn't stiffen and forget how to speak when he helped her during DA practices. And she wouldn't feel the sharp sting of jealousy whenever Harry spoke to Ginny Weasley. And most importantly, she wouldn't lie awake in bed at night, listening to Marietta snoring and thinking about Harry's eyes.

No, Cho decided, she didn't belong in Ravenclaw. Because Ravenclaws were supposed to be wise and intelligent – and anyone stupid enough to fall for famous Harry Potter had to be dumber than a bag of Flobberworms.

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><p>I kinda feel bad for Cho. But still, Harry+Ginny=true love. Just sayin'. Please <strong>review<strong> and **leave a prompt**!


	4. What Friends Are For

**Disclaimer: **all characters, places etc., are the property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N:** Prompted by TechNomaNcer28: "How about something like Peter's thoughts on James and why he idolizes him so much? Maybe something could happen and they could become friends! Hmm...maybe!"

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><p><strong>#4 - What Friends Are For<strong>

James was in the Charms corridor when he heard it – a muffled sort of sobbing, punctuated every now and then by a nasal laugh. He frowned, drawing his wand, and went in search of the noise. He tracked it to a door near the end of the corridor, which had been magically sealed.

"_Alohamora_," he said confidently, waving his wand. The lock sprang open to reveal a broom closet. Inside were two boys from James's year, a thin, pale-faced Slytherin with curtains of dark hair, and a short, squat Gryffindor. James recognized them both – the Slytherin was friends with the redheaded bombshell that had caught James's attention during the Sorting, and the Gryffindor was one of his dorm-mates. His last name was Pettigrew, but try as he might, James could not remember the boy's first name.

"What's going on?" James asked casually, pretending not to notice the tear tracks on Pettigrew's cheeks. He was crouched on the floor, his arms wrapped protectively around his body.

"None of your business, Potter," the Slytherin bit out, sneering in James's face. James quirked an eyebrow. Who the hell did this greasy little Slytherin think he was, talking to _him_ like that?

"What's your name?" James asked, raising his wand so that the Slytherin could see it.

"Severus," he said, drawing himself up to look taller. "Severus Snape."

James snorted. "Alright then, _Snivellus_," he said, his upper lip curling. "I don't know what you're doing to Pettigrew–"

"Peter," the smaller boy offered, his voice trembling feebly. James went on.

"I don't know what you're doing to _Peter_," he said, "but whatever it is, you're going to stop right now. And if you ever come near me or my friends again, I will curse your greasy, pimpled arse into the next hemisphere. Do I make myself clear?"

Snape's eyes flashed and he elbowed his way out of the closet, muttering under his breath. James held out his hand to help Peter up and the smaller boy accepted it, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Thank you," he muttered.

"No problem," James replied, shooting him a winning smile. "What are friends for?"

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><p>I know it's short, but it IS a drabble :P Remember to <strong>review<strong> and prompt if you want to :)


	5. Second Thoughts

**Disclaimer: **all characters, places etc., are the property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N:** Prompted by DrinkingAlcoholicRainbows: _"Okay, okay. It's totally awesome for McGonagall to be McGonagall and I think it calls for a McGonagall Appreciation Post. I think it would do well in the Marauder area. Maybe at a Valentine's Ball (or just during the date) James/Sirius/both would just corner Minnie transfigure roses give it to her and peck her on the cheek and dance. Maybe from Lily's point of view when she's starting to like James and realize he's not so much of a git anymore. I don't know."_

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><p><strong>#5 - Second Thoughts (A.K.A. The Minerva McGonagall Appreciation Post)<strong>

When she'd been a little girl, Lily had always dreamed of her fairytale prince. She had painted herself not as a damsel in distress, but as a strong princess who wasn't waiting for her perfect man to come along and save her – she was simply waiting for him to show up and sweep her off her feet. As she grew older, she realized that Prince Charmings were few and far between, but she didn't give up hope. She was sure that she was going to find her prince, no matter how long it took.

Of course, when her Hogwarts letter had arrived, she'd momentarily forgotten the fantasy and focused instead on the wonder of being a witch. She had been so caught up by the magical world that she never knew existed that it wasn't until she actually arrived at Hogwarts that she remembered her dream. She had searched eagerly for him in the Great Hall during the Sorting, and she'd been especially intrigued by a boy with messy dark hair and round glasses.

A few days into her first term at Hogwarts, she learned that the dark haired boy was called James. And then not soon after, she had learned that he was actually a bit of a prat. He joked in class, he pulled pranks on teachers and he was bullied other students – like Lily's friend Severus. However, James was at his worst when it came to the Transfiguration teacher and the Head of Gryffindor house, Professor McGonagall. James and his best friend Sirius constantly tortured the professor, though to her credit, she could hold her own with them. Lily had always been irked when they pranked Professor McGonagall. She was Lily's favourite teacher – after Professor Slughorn, of course – and Lily didn't think she deserved the inconvenience. Besides that, Lily kind of identified with the professor. She liked to think that McGonagall was like her - searching for her prince charming.

So Lily's opinion on James was a bad one, although that didn't stop him from asking her out at every chance he got. She rejected him numerous times even during that first year at Hogwarts, and as the years wore on, the rejections piled up. By the time their seventh year rolled around, Lily was sick to the teeth of saying 'no' to him. She was also sick of searching for her prince, who had yet to show up even after seventeen long years.

Her lack of a prince meant that she was spending yet another Valentine's day alone, though matters were made even worse this year by the introduction of the Valentine's Ball – an absurd idea put forth by Professor Dumbledore in an effort to make the children more sociable. Lily was one of the only girls without a date, and she spent most of the dance hovering by the refreshment table with Mary MacDonald. She scanned the Great Hall with disinterest, though she straightened up a little when she spotted James and Sirius striding across the Hall. They looked suspicious – they were up to something, she could tell. She excused herself and followed them, noting with dread that they were heading in Professor McGonagall's direction. She hoped they weren't going to embarrass her.

She stopped a few yards away and watched as they snuck up behind the professor. She didn't seem to notice them. Before Lily could cry out, James and Sirius each threw an arm around the professor. They leaned in and pecked her on the cheek before magically producing two beautiful bouquets of red roses.

"For you, madam," Sirius said grandly, dropping into a sweeping bow. He grabbed Professor McGonagall's hand before she could step away and dragged her into a waltz, which she was surprisingly quick to go along with.

"For putting up with all of our shenanigans," James added, grinning at the twirling couple. "You are truly a wonderful professor and we hope you will do us the honour of being our Valentine."

Professor McGonagall's face grew red. She stepped away from Sirius and she started to scold the pair, though Lily could tell that she was struggling to avoid laughing. As if he could sense her watching, James caught Lily's eye and winked at her cheekily, sending chills down Lily's spine.

Maybe, she thought fondly, he wasn't such a git after all.

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><p>Oops. I got kind of off topic here. So it's kind of like Lily's Prince CharmingMinerva McGonagall Appreciation Post. Oh well. Please **review** and **prompt**! :)


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